Subsurface structure of a buried Eratosthenian crater on the far-side of the Moon

Abstract

Impact craters represent the most prominent geological features on the Moon. Current methodologies for investigating impact craters primarily involve morphological analysis and numerical simulations. However, direct subsurface structural data of lunar impact craters remain scarce. Utilizing the Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) aboard the Yutu-2 rover, we conducted comprehensive subsurface exploration of the Chang'e-4 landing area on the lunar far-side over 65 lunar days, acquiring unprecedented dual-channel radar profiles of a buried Eratosthenian crater, characterized by a rim-to-floor diameter of 484 m and subsurface structural features extending to 215 m depth. Our comprehensive analysis delineates a 12-layer stratigraphic architecture comprising lunar regolith, paleoregolith horizons, ejecta deposits, and basalt units, while simultaneously reveals characteristic subsurface features of lunar impact structures, including reworked zones, radial collapses, central rebounds, and fracture systems. These findings establish a critical foundation for understanding crater formation mechanisms from surface expressions to subsurface responses, while providing new constraints on the impact chronology and origin of impactors within the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin.